


The Wonderful Land of Oz

by thats_for_certain



Category: The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
Genre: Boys In Love, Dorothy Ships It, Friendship, M/M, Rare Pairing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:28:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23402233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thats_for_certain/pseuds/thats_for_certain
Summary: The Wizard of Oz movie, but it's GAY
Relationships: Scarecrow/Tin Woodman
Comments: 10
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter One

He felt a knock on his foot, followed by one on his shin, then his chest. It stirred him into consciousness, saving him from the blank abyss he found himself in after so many ages of being frozen. A voice spoke, he latched onto it the second he comprehend the sound.

“Why, it's a man! A man made of tin!” The voice was young and full of wonder. It sounded impossibly nice. He had forgotten what it was like to hear a voice.

He could see nothing but blur, unable to blink his eyes into focus.

He tried to move but his body refused him. 

Oil can. He needed his oil can.

He was able, after a moment, to make noise, shaping it into a sound that vaguely resembled the words, ‘oil can’. 

They understood, thankfully, and started oiling his joints.

“Here, get the other side!” The male voice said, the timbre of his warm voice relaxing the Tin Man. His eyes watered as he listened to them talk to each other, unbelievably happy at not being alone any longer.

He had been so alone. 

With the left side of his face oiled, the Tin Man began to move his jaw. 

“M-m- ….muh-...my, my goodness! I can talk again! Oh - oil my arms, please - oil my elbows. Oh! Oh!” He exclaimed, his throat hurt from disuse and he stretched out his jaw. 

He finally blinked, taking in his surroundings.

A human girl stood before him, red-headed, young and wide-eyed. She wore a blue dress, which immediately tipped him off that she wasn't from the emerald city (maybe she was from farther away?). Her ruby slippers shined bright enough to hurt his eyes. 

She gave him a beautiful smile and he wished he had a heart so it could melt.

A hand on his right arm brought his attention to her companion. He…

He was a Scarecrow?

The Tin Man took in his happy face, sparkling eyes full of good-will, and a warm smile fitting someone with such a warm soothing voice. 

The Scarecrow rubbed his arm gently as he oiled it and moved it, passing the oil can off to the girl once again. 

She oiled his other arm and brought it down, causing him to groan in relief, The heavy ax no longer causing a strain on him. “Did that hurt!?” She asked, and the concern in her voice made him want to cry. He didn't think anyone would ever see him again, let alone be concerned for him again. He thought he was going to fade from existence.

“No, it feels wonderful. I've held that ax up for ages.” He told her honestly, smiling at her slightly.

“Oh, goodness! How did you ever get like this?” she asked, frowning at the Scarecrow in shared concern.

“Oh - well, about a year ago, I was chopping that tree, when suddenly it began to rain, and right in the middle of a chop, I - I rusted solid. And I've been that way ever since.” He said, closing his eyes for a moment. The Girl placed a hand on his chest and he looked at her.

She smiled, “Well, you're perfect now.”

He grinned, and tried to angle his head at her. “My - my neck.” He said, and they helped him immediately, oiling the joints there. “Perfect? Bang on my chest if you think I'm perfect. Go ahead - bang on it!”

She looked confused, but complied.

When it echoed, he cringed inside, and felt the familiar shame that came every time he was reminded of his…

Incompleteness. 

“Beautiful! What an echo!” The Scarecrow enthused and the Tin Man snapped his eyes to the joyous being. 

Beautiful? That was the first time he’s heard that reaction. Disbelief fluttered through him as he looked the other in the eyes. The Scarecrow looked like he fully believed what he had said. He furrowed a brow but decided to ignore the flutter that brought to his stomach. 

“It's empty. The Tinsmith forgot to give me a heart.” He said instead the 1000 other things that wanted to pass through his lips.

“No heart!?” The girl and Scarecrow both exclaimed, trading a look.

“No heart.” He repeated, dejected. He would lose these people before he even got a chance to call them friends, everyone left when they found out. Why love someone who cannot love? Why waste that time? He sighed and looked to his feet. “All hollow.”

He tried to walk, but fell back, only to be caught and helped by the girl and her friend. He was surprised to say the least. They still wanted to help him? 

“Oh, are you all right?” she asked carefully.   
  
“I'm afraid I'm a little rusty yet.” He said to hide his confusion.

They helped him stand up and together they tried walking. They had to stop every now and again so the Scarecrow could oil his legs.

They reached the yellow brick road and he attempted to walk by himself.

“You know, we’re going to see The Wizard of Oz…” the girl said after he walked around a bit.

She looked at the Scarecrow, and they had some unspoken communication that went right over his head. The Girl nodded at the Scarecrow, before looking back to him. “We were just wondering why you couldn't come with us to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard of Oz for a heart?”

Shock dazed him, and all he could do was stare at her. She wanted him to come along? 

Why? 

He looked between her and the Scarecrow, both sending encouraging looks his way. 

This wasn't right. Did they not hear? He had no heart. Why would they want to be around him longer than necessary? They were just too nice and took pity on him. That had to be it. He wanted more than anything to go with them, but he didn't want to be a bother to them. 

“Well, suppose the Wizard wouldn't give me one when we got there?” He said, trying to dissuade them. The Scarecrow frowned, but the girl just smiled, undeterred.

“Oh, but he will! He must! We've come such a long way already.” She chirped at him, walking towards him and placing a hand on his shoulder. “I'd be so happy if you came.” She whispered to him in a pleading tone. He knew right then he couldn't say no to her. Not when she was so ready to accept him for what he was... no one has ever done that before.

Before he could reply, a voice filled with malice cut through the air, startling all of them. “You call that long? Why, you've just begun!”

They all turned to see an ugly green woman on the roof of the cabin the Tin Man had built for himself. She was scowling at them, her evil eyes fixed on the girl. The Scarecrow jumped in front of her, blocking her from the hag’s view.

The Tin Man had no idea what was going on, but he had the overwhelming need to protect his new friends from the evil witch. He stepped out in front of the girl and her Scarecrow, and raised his ax.

The ugly witch smirked at him. “Helping the little lady along, are you, my fine gentlemen? Well, stay away from her!” She hissed, and the Tin man jumped a bit, only to find the Scarecrow at his back, ready to defend him and the girl. The thought comforted him, and he vowed to help them out of whatever mess this was.

The witch glared at them, looking directly at the Scarecrow. “or I'll stuff a mattress with you!” She turned her attention on him then, pointing a long crooked finger at him, “And you! I'll use you for a bee-hive!”

When they didn't back down, the witch shrieked in anger. “Here, Scarecrow! Want to play ball?!” 

She summoned a flame in her hand and laughed madly. The Tin Man could feel the Scarecrow flinch back and heard him make a noise of fear. Before he could do anything, the witch threw the ball of fire at him, and the Scarecrow caught flame.

“Oh! Look out! Oh, I'm burning! I'm burning!” He screamed, voice filled with terror. The witch cackled and was gone in a burst of red smoke.

“Help him!” The girl begged, but the Tin Man was already trying to put the flame out. The Scarecrow clawed at him, desperately trying to get away from the consuming fire.

The Tin Man used his hat, and finally got the flame out. He sighed in relief, and hugged the shaking Scarecrow to him, who was clutching at his arms fearfully. He pulled back slightly, and helped the other stand up, immediately pulling him back up as he struggled to stand.

“Thank you!” He gasped, and the Tin Man smiled at him. 

“Oh you're OK!” The girl said and hugged him tightly.

“Dorothy! Did you see that? He saved me!” 

Dorothy giggled and hugged her friend tighter. “Yes I saw, Scarecrow. I'm so glad you're OK!”

The Scarecrow patted her back before she pulled away, wiping at her eyes. She turned to the Tin Man and hugged him as well. He felt a squeeze in his chest as he hugged her back. He still couldn't believe he wasn't alone anymore.

“I'm not afraid of her. I'll see you get safely to the Wizard now,” the Scarecrow said once she let go of Tin Man. “whether I get a brain or not! Stuff a mattress with me - hah!” 

Dorothy smiled at him, but looked as though she wanted to protest something. Before she could, the Tin Man made up his mind about it and decided he too, would see she got there safely.

“I'll see you reach the Wizard, whether I get a heart or not. Bee-hive - bah! Let her try and make a beehive out of me!” He proclaimed, earning a beaming look from the Scarecrow. Dorothy still looked like she wanted to say something, and finally spoke up after a moment.

“I don't want you to put yourselves in danger for me. The wicked witch of the West really has a vendetta against me, and she'll destroy you to get to me. I can't ask that of you two.”

The Scarecrow walked forward and took both of her small hands into his, and looked her in the eye. “Dorothy, you're my friend. You don't have to ask me for anything. I want to help you. Witch or no witch. You've done so much for me already, I want to do the same for you.” 

Dorothy’s eyes turned glossy as she held back tears. “Wow,” She said quietly and he fixed her with a fond look. She pulled him in for another hug, before stepping back and looking toward the Tin Man. 

He said nothing, but hopefully the look on his face conveyed the same sentiment. They just met, but she had no idea how much the two of them already meant to him, and he didn't want to… overwhelm them with his dramatics. 

She had no idea that they were the first people who've spoken to him in almost a decade. Not counting his rusted year. He wasn't anti-social or anything of the like, but he lived out in the middle of nowhere and his only task was to send wood to the emerald city and munchkin land. The people of oz didn't really consider him a person, just a tool for their use. He didn't mind the job. But he was so lonely and he wanted friends more than anything. He didn't want to scare Dorothy and the Scarecrow off by being so attached too quickly.

So he just nodded at her questioning look, And judging by the smile on Dorothy’s face, He got his message across. 

“Oh, you're the best friends anybody ever had!” She gushed before getting a contemplative look on her pretty face. “And it's funny, but I feel as if I'd known you all the time. But I couldn't have, could I?”

Scarecrow smiled down at her, a twinkle in his eyes. “I don't see how. You weren't around when I was stuffed and sewn together, were you?”

Dorothy shook her head in a bemused way. 

“And I was standing over there rusting for the longest time.” Tin Man added, but he could feel something like nostalgia creep up on him when he looked at their faces.   


Dorothy shifted her weight as she thought, carefully rearranging the basket she carried on her arm. “Still, I wish I could remember. But I guess it doesn't matter anyway. We know each other now, don't we?”   
  
“That's right!” Scarecrow laughed, and shoved lightly at her shoulder, causing her to laugh back.

“We do.” Tin man agreed, smiling and laughing with them.

Dorothy hooked her arm around Scarecrow’s and offered her other one to him. He grinned and held his metal limb out for her.    
  
“To Oz?” Scarecrow asked after they situated themselves.    
  
“To Oz!” Tin man said, meeting the Scarecrow’s eyes over Dorothy’s head. The other grinned and sent a wink his way, before beginning to sing with Dorothy. 

The Tin man felt his face heat up, but couldn't help the smile that lifted the corners of his mouth. After singing the song once, Tin man joined in the second round, picking the words up easily. 

“We're off to see the Wizard, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz! You'll find he is a whiz of a wiz, If ever a wiz there was, If ever a wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one because, Because, because, because, because, because, because of the wonderful things he does! We're off to see the Wizard. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!”


	2. Chapter 2

  
  


After a day and a half of walking, the Tin Man had learned much about Dorothy. She was from a far away place called Kansas. Kansas sounded so strange and _different_ it was hard for him to imagine it. There were no witches there, no talking scarecrows, no _munchkins…_

She had laughed kindly at him when he tried conversing with her dog friend, Toto, and explained animals couldn't talk there either. Kansas sounded depressing, but Dorothy spoke of it with such longing, he knew that to her, Kansas was _home._

She also spoke of her family. Auntie Em and her Uncle Henry. Tin Man could tell she loved them very much and it strengthened his resolve to help her get home, heart or not.

Currently they were walking along the yellow brick road, Dorothy humming and skipping along, laughing occasionally when Toto yipped happily at her. 

Tin man was walking next to her, the Scarecrow on the other side, when her dog decided to dash forward. Dorothy trotted ahead, keeping up with him. 

“Toto don't go too far!” She called, leaving the Tin man and Scarecrow alone together for the first time. 

The Scarecrow was happily taking in his surroundings, seemingly unbothered about being with him without Dorothy as a mediator. 

Tin Man was nervous. It wasn't that he hadn't talked to the Scarecrow before, but Dorothy had always been there between them, and he didn't know how to handle it. 

He glanced over at the other, catching his eye and earning a smile from the Scarecrow. 

“It's beautiful today, isn't it!?” He remarked, walking closer to the Tin Man. He tripped and sunk to the ground before Tin Man could respond. Tin Man immediately set out to help him up. Over the last day or so, he learned slowly that Scarecrow had a lot of trouble walking. It made him wonder how the other man got around all these years.

“A little klutzy aren't you?” He laughed, but then realized that could come across as rude. “Not that that's a bad thing!” 

“Yes, a little.” Scarecrow laughed, seeming unoffended. “I only learned to walk three days ago! I think I'm doing ok.”

Tin Man stopped and looked wide eyed at his friend. “What?”

Scarecrow nodded his head excitedly. “Yeah! Dorothy saved me! I was nailed high up on a pole in my field and she bent the nail in my back so I could slide off.”

Tin man had a hard time picturing the lively Scarecrow hung in one spot, stuck there day after day. He frowned at his friend. “So this is your first time seeing all these things? All these places?”

Scarecrow nodded, and after finding his footing once again, started walking in step with the Tin Man. “Yeah and it’s amazing! Oz is so beautiful! And none of those mean crows are here to mock me.”

“The crows mocked you?” 

“Yes, because I couldn’t scare them. They came from all over to eat my corn and laugh in my face… I’m a pretty disappointing scarecrow if I'm being honest.”

“Nothing about you could be disappointing I'm sure.” The tin man mumbled to himself, the words spilling out on their own accord.

“Sorry? What was that?”

“Erm...uh, nothing.”

Scarecrow shrugged, his feet slipping a little on the yellow brick. “Well anyways, I'm so happy I'm here now with you and Dorothy! I never thought I would be somewhere like this, seeing all these incredible things!” 

Tin man smiled at the wistful tone the Scarecrow had in his voice and he turned to watch the other as he spoke. The sunlight beat down on them, but it didn't bother either seeing as they were made of straw and tin. Straw, Tin Man noted, glowed golden in sunlight and the Scarecrow’s sparkling blue eyes shone brighter when the sun hit them.

“Oh yeah? What’s the most incredible thing you’ve seen so far?” Tin man asked, watching the Scarecrow with a smile. 

The Scarecrow looked contemplative as he tried to pick out what it was. He started slipping again, but the Tin Man picked him back up. He rolled his eyes in fond exasperation when the Scarecrow showed no signs of noticing his slip.

“Everything in Oz has been incredible so far, especially compared to my corn field. But...I would have to say the most awesome and incredible thing I've seen yet is… you.”

The Tin Man took a moment to register the words before gasping and nearly dropping his ax. “Me?” He asked in a shocked voice. 

“Yeah.” The Scarecrow nodded and slowly lost his contemplative look as a confidence in his words took over.”Yeah, You!”

The Scarecrow turned to look at him. “A Man made completely of tin! It's so wonderful. You're so shiny and strong-looking, not to mention you're so nice! You saved me from the fire as well… I can't thank you enough for that. Between us, fire is my worst fear!” The Scarecrow rambled, whispering the last part as if someone else was around to hear it. 

The Tin Man was blushing so hard, he was sure his face was no longer silver, but red. The Scarecrow really thought that? The Tin Man almost stopped breathing.

“W-well, you're the amazing one!” He stuttered out and immediately wished he had kept his mouth shut. 

The Scarecrow stopped dancing around and looked at him with a smile. “You really think so? I mean, I am a Scarecrow who can't scare, and I don't have a brain… you and Dorothy are so amazing, I feel as though nothing can compare to y'all! I feel honored to have friends such as you.”

“Scarecrow, you-”

“Hey! Scarecrow, Tin man!” They both turned to see Dorothy walking back to them looking worried. Toto was in her arms. 

“Dorothy is something wrong!?” Scarecrow asked, walking towards her, falling down slightly as he went. Their previous conversation was immediately forgotten. 

“No… or I don't think so....” She turned to look back the way she came. “The forest up there is giving me a horrible feeling.

The Scarecrow looked up, squinting through the sun at the apparent loom of the forest up ahead. “What a sight!”

“The forbidden forest.” Tin man offered. “Dark and full of dangerous things.”

“D-dangerous?” Dorothy looked at him, a shiver running through her body. “How dangerous?”

“No one knows for sure. They say you have to trek through the forest yourself if you wish to know the untold horrors within.”

“Stories to scare young children I bet Dorothy.” Scarecrow patted her shoulder. “We’ll be fine. Right Tin Man?”

“I think so.” The Tin Man said, casting his gaze to the shadow ahead. “Either way, we have to go through it to get to the emerald city. If we don't, we’ll have to double back and that’ll take three days at most, if you were to go on the proper path.” 

“Oh gosh. I knew I got turned around at some point. I don’t mind it though. I wouldn’t have met you if I went the right way.” Dorothy smiled at him.

He was so very glad she got turned around too. "Shall we go through the forest then?"

"I say bring it on!" Scarecrow grinned, slumping against Dorothy when he couldn't stand straight anymore. He reached forward and patted Toto on the head.

Dorothy wrapped her free hand around his waist and held him up. "You aren't too frightened?" 

"No. We just have to keep our heads up!"


End file.
